As you all know we’ve been doing this for a while. We started protecting these horses in 2011 and formed our non profit in 2014, but we have herd records of the horses that go back much farther, because we cataloged pictures from different photographers into our app from 1990 and on. (and of course there are also the historic archives in our AZ State archives since 1890.)

Anyway, we’ve been through so many ups and downs with the Salt River herd together as volunteers, and during it all we’ve kept you, the public, informed. So here is why we kept so much hope during our search for Lainey and why no one should “call it” before we find out what happened;

Check this boy out, this is Avanti, when he was a baby, he looked and acted just like Lainey, very happy go lucky boy, and he was always ahead of his band, that’s where his name Avanti (italian) comes from. We were very fond of him.

When he was just 6 weeks old, one day he was missing from his band, which was so sad, so we had a search for him. After days, just when we were ready to give up, we found him! He had wondered more than a mile away from his band! While he was very stressed, he was ok. However, he would not be ok much longer without his mothers milk. So we stayed with him, and split into yet another team to find and stay with his band. Then, we coordinated and very slowly walked them towards eachother. It took a very long time, but the reunion was so touching! They did not forget about him in those 3 days he was missing!

Avanti today is an 8 yr old bachelor stallion, and what is so cool is that he is actually sort of part of Lainey’s band! He is not within the band, but he is part of the “entourage”. He is playing lieutenant along with 6 other bachelors who always stay close, so that’s why we call them the entourage. See if you can spot him next time you see Nichy and Luna!

What is perhaps even cooler is that Avanti is a full brother to Nichy, Lainey’s mother, so that means he is Lainey’s full uncle and we believe Lainey would have turned out quite similar to him if she had been able to grow up.

So as the river flows, so do we go on. Avanti means move forward and that’s what we’ll do, and we’ll keep learning from the wild, with all it’s ups and downs. We are so grateful for these horses and the glimpse into their world, and we are so grateful for your support. Please share if you care.

Sincerely, SRWHMG.